Football
FACILITIES at Middleton Wanderers FC have been given a £5,000 boost with a new storage container which doubles as a tea room.
Players still use the cricket pavilion to change, but the container has provided invaluable extra space to store the club’s equipment.
It is also shared with Middleton’s thriving walking football club.
The money for the container came from a number of sources including grants from the Football Foundation and Co-op community fund, along with the proceeds of a coffee morning which had been well supported.
Andy Micthell, a member of both clubs, also thanked local businesses which had given their support.
The walking football club continues to train during the winter and new players are welcome to join. Sessions are held at Teesdale Lesiure Centre on Tuesdays, 7.30pm to 8.30pm and Wednesdays, 8pm to 9pm.
Players over 40 are welcome, but to play in matches they must be 50-plus.
Darlington Sunday Morning Invitation League
MIDDLETON Wanderers crashed to a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Rolling Mills.
The upper dale side was somewhat unlucky to go into the interval two goals in arrears after the visitors scored with their only two chances of an evenly contested first half.
In both cases, Middleton’s defenders allowed their opponents too much time to get their shots away, although Rolling Mills’ second goal was a beautifully struck shot from the edge of the area which curled into the top corner and would have beaten almost all keepers.
Middleton needed to score first after the break, but it was the visitors who went further ahead before the lively Jed Dominick pulled one back.
Any thoughts of a comeback were extinguished as Rolling Mills added a fourth and then a fifth from the penalty spot before Reece Foster scored Middleton’s second.
The fixture between Coundon Durham Ox and Gainford Cross Keys was switched to Gainford’s well-drained pitch.
A strong Ox team repaid their opponents’ hospitality by hitting ten past them without reply.
There were also ten goals at Croft Workingmen’s Club in the match between Darlington Spartans and Toft Hill Three Tuns.
The game was evenly poised at 2-2 when the sides went in at the break, but it was the hosts who eventually ran out 6-4 winners.
Ebac Northern League
IT was a chastening seven days for West Auckland Town AFC.
In the league, the midweek derby clash against Bishop Auckland FC at the Wanted Stadium saw the visitors come away with the points after handing out a 4-0 thrashing, scoring three times in the last 20 minutes.
Then on Saturday, West’s FA Vase ambitions were thwarted by a defeat on penalties at home to lower ranked Newcastle University Athletic FC.
The visitors scored first with the game barely minutes old and had the chance to extend their lead further.
However, Will Constantin equalised for West before the break and that was how it stayed until the end, despite a number of chances for the hosts.
Penalties went to 5-5 and sudden death before Corey Nicholson missed the target for West and Newcastle scored to take them through.
Stuart Laundy
Youth Football
The U11s travelled to Boro Rangers Reds knowing they faced a tough test. After conceding heavily in their last two games, there was some anxiety among the players and coaches. However, the team changed its formation to 3-1-4-2, and after 15 minutes, they took the lead in a tight match.
Boro came out strongly in the second half, but the U11s defended resolutely. With ten minutes to go, they sealed victory with a second goal. It was a fantastic performance from the team.
All other games were postponed due to Storm Babet.
